In settings of community practice and organizing, organizers and leaders must consistently reassess the effectiveness of their outreach and goals they strive to reach. For example, in regards to youth education and empowerment, various models have been accepted as the benchmark, but each, in their own way, has failed to fulfill the expectations and goals they intended to reach. On another note, community organizers and leaders may fail to provide an equitable platform for the community members by failing to emphasize intersectionality. In both circumstances, community organizers and leaders must consistently reevaluate their approaches, strategies, and practices to serve the highest number of people and foster equity and inclusion within their community. As demonstrated by researchers (Jennings, Parra-Medina, Hilfinger Messias & McLoughlin, 2006), there are a variety of approaches to empowering youth - each with distinct focuses, strategies, and expected outcomes for empowerment. The authors compare four established youth empowerment models to the model they introduce: Critical Youth Empowerment. In their …show more content…
Unfortunately, countless children feel increasingly disengaged and disconnected from their communities. Moreover, children, especially those of color or those residing in lower-income neighborhoods, often feel less capable or empowered compared to wealthier children. Ultimately, these children "can only empower themselves" (Jennings, Parra-Medina, Hilfinger Messias & McLoughlin, 2006, p. 47). Therefore, it is fundamental that communities and organizations seeking to empower, guide, and nurture their children provide comprehensive practice-based strategies to promote internal empowerment and
We live in a world that is always changing and as such creates inequality and suffering. Many people feel the need to change this and hope for a better world. Even though people have different religions and beliefs, we all have some hope,which motivates us to wake up everyday and make a difference in this world. Hope is what brings us together to fight for a common cause. As Duncan-Andrade explains throughout his article, “Note to Educators: Hope Required When Growing Roses in Concrete,” it is not enough to hope for a better future, especially for young people of color because hoping will not bring the needed change we expect. “Growing Roses in Concrete”(Duncan-Andrade 5) is not an easy task because of the many circumstances and policies that create inequality in these schools and in the society as a whole. In urban schools in the United States, there is more disparately and inequality among young people of color and while educators have tried to solve such issues through different means, the problem still prevails and this has just created “false hope”. Duncan-Andrade states that th...
As Pollock states, “Equity efforts treat all young people as equally and infinitely valuable” (202). This book has made me realize that first and foremost: We must get to know each of our students on a personal level. Every student has been shaped by their own personal life experiences. We must take this into consideration for all situations. In life, I have learned that there is a reason why people act the way that they do. When people seem to have a “chip on their shoulder”, they have usually faced many hardships in life. “The goal of all such questions is deeper learning about real, respected lives: to encourage educators to learn more about (and build on) young people’s experiences in various communities, to consider their own such experiences, to avoid any premature assumptions about a young person’s “cultural practices,” and to consider their own reactions to young people as extremely consequential.” (3995) was also another excerpt from the book that was extremely powerful for me. Everyone wants to be heard and understood. I feel that I owe it to each of my students to know their stories and help them navigate through the hard times. On the other hand, even though a student seems like he/she has it all together, I shouldn’t just assume that they do. I must be sure that these students are receiving the attention and tools needed to succeed,
Minorities, African American and Latinos, in America are faced with challenges daily in white society. There are many obstacles minorities experience such as: being judged based on race, stereotyped, or worst being discriminated against by peers. Sadly, minorities can’t seem to escape to harsh realities society created. Citizens in the white society categorize humans by their race to socially construct the achievements and legitimate political goals. Minorities struggles with these goals due to the challenges they experience. The location of these challenges can occur in various places including on the job and/or at school. You may be under the impression that such challenges occurs within the adult minority groups. However, this applies to minority children as well. When the children are face with
...ctive we are able to understand analyze previous achievements and forward progress within the community. According to Kirsten-Ashmen, “ empowerment is defined as the process of increasing personal, interpersonal, or political power so that individuals can take action to improve their to improve their life situation (p.81)”. Within the empowerment theory there is a focus on conscious raising, social justice, mutual aid , power, socialization, and group cohesion. The DSNI strives to achieve all of these sub-ideas within the theory.
Golod (2008) analyzed the Southside Family Charter School located in Minneapolis, MN which serves as a prime example of early civic engagement. Students enrolled in the school reside in a low income community that is close to 50% African American. To improve civic engagement of students and parents, school administrators have developed lesson plans with a focus on civil rights. As a result, the community is preparing a new generation of residents focused on improving their community who follow in the footsteps of parents serving in volunteer capacities and as strong neighborhood activists.
But, there is hope: a loving, supportive environment that encourages children to grow into themselves. Preschool. Government programs are in place to help low-income families offset the costs, and national agencies provide multidimensional support for preschoolers and their families. Seven hours in a classroom doesn’t fix the problems at home. Rather, these programs are designed to help low-income families through a multi-faceted approach, attacking several issues in one mighty blow (Olson, Ceballo, and Park 427). These programs offer a variety of resources, including parenting classes, stress management courses, family counseling, and nutrition education. Through these programs, the entire community is assuming responsibility for taking care of its children. After all, it takes a village to raise a child.
...g of the struggle of poverty and subsequent educational barriers. Though extremely grateful for all of the privilege in my life, it was difficult to realize my fortune until working with the teens at RYP who often do not have two parents, have limited adult influences, and live below the poverty line, making education an afterthought. From the perspective of a tutor and mentor, the educational support that the teens require is unquestionable, just like the injustices they face daily. Through service, not only does one gain perspective into the needs of the local community, but also insight into systemic issues of racism, poverty, crime, education and more. By participating in service and trying to counteract the sources of need for others, one will undoubtedly change their perspective of the framework question, knowing that the very least one should help others.
...s between those who are “at risk” with teachers, pastors, and officers of the law. The construction of the bond is essential. The neighborhoods youth understanding their teachers, principles, and law enforcement officials have their best interests at heart, allows for these individuals to recognize they can accomplish any goal they set. Once a foundation, is built amongst the schools, city officials can address other areas of concern in these neighborhoods. For example, establishing a “community development plan” with local residents to earn an income while demolishing abandoned buildings within these communities. Providing developmental land for these neighborhood. Each step is necessary, however without a solid foundation with emphasis on youth and education, areas such as these will continue to witness large amounts of crime and the depletion of their community.
The mission of StandUp for Kids is “to empower teenagers toward lifelong personal growth through on the streets outreach programs.” This mission statement is clear and concise. It guides the actions of StandUp for Kids, spells out their overall goal and provides a path. StandUp for Kids strives to gain the trust of homeless youth in order to achieve its mission statement (StandUp For, 2014). This trust is sought out through programs such as street outreach where volunteers search for homeless youth who are in need of help. The homeless youth are then introduced to outreach centers where they are provided with food, basic supplies, counseling, educational assistance, independent living skills training and referral services for available programs throughout the community (StandUp For, 2014).
Students from lower-income neighborhoods tend to face emotional and social instability. The problem begins from infancy. Young children need to be in environments that foster healthy learning and exploration for optimal br...
All societies are inevitably involved, one way or the other, in some form of social change (York Region District School Board, N.d). As YRDSB (N.d) continues to state, this change may either be visible, or very subtle, or slow, as to suggest the fact that society may not be aware of it. The end result of social change as afforded by Leadership Paradigms (2014) is to provide solutions that address underlying societal issues across multiple levels that touch on individuals, institutions, and the community at large. But how exactly can social change itself be defined? Florida International Univerity (2014) perhaps offers a conclusive definition of this singularity, terming social change as the “alteration of cultural patterns, societal behaviors and structures over time.” YRDSB (N.d), also shares a similar definition of social change by defining social change as the manner in which society is organized, and the beliefs and practices that characterize the people who constitute it. Examples of social change as stated by Leadership Paradigms (2014) include; attitudes, policies, laws, behaviors, etc., each of which contribute to the promotion of diversity, inclusion, and fairness. The principal aim of this research paper is to present and discuss some of the forces that promote social change.
In the end, as early childhood educators we want to fight the constant layers of oppression our generation currently encourages and condones into what America is made up to be. By identifying our personal biases, understanding our many social identities, examining institutional advantages and disadvantages, understanding internalized privilege and oppression, and finally learning how to take action we can change the way kids socially identify themselves and create a wholesome environment where we are all equal. By respecting and coaching healthy ways of life, our children can only grow to help future generations and facilitate a growing America with positive results.
Not only do we need to understand the ‘issue’ or ‘societal problem’ that many people face and are impacted by every day, but we need to meet and work alongside those whose daily realities are shaped by injustices, while not creating any divides or barriers in the process. Everyday people are affected by the issues that organizations fight for or against, and once we realize how people-centered things like advocacy, outreach and service are, I believe young people will realize their call to action and their potent...
Empowerment is a term used a lot with teens in regards to social media. With their own authority, they utilize self-determination and responsibility to share their interests
Parent and community involvement does not occur overnight, it takes time and work to build a trusting, visionary driven environment. When people walk into a school, they can immediately get a sense of the school